Modelling Markovian light-matter interactions for quantum optical devices in the solid state

Abstract

The desire to understand the interaction between light and matter has stimulated centuries of research, leading to technological achievements that have shaped our world. One contemporary frontier of research into light-matter interaction considers regimes where quantum effects dominate.By understanding and manipulating these quantum effects, a vast array of new quantum-enhanced technologies become accessible. In this thesis, I explore and analyze fundamental components and processes for quantum optical devices with a focus on solid-state quantum systems. This includes indistinguishable single-photon sources, deterministic sources of entangled photonic states, photonheralded entanglement generation between remote quantum systems, and deterministic opticallymediated entangling gates between local quantum systems. For this analysis, I make heavy use of an analytic quantum trajectories approach applied to a general Markovian master equation of an optically-active quantum system, which I introduce as a photon-number decomposition. This approach allows for many realistic system imperfections, such as emitter pure dephasing, spin decoherence, and measurement imperfections, to be taken into account in a straightforward and comprehensive way.Throughout this thesis, I will be using the above roman numeral references whenever citing works where I am a co-author. However, not all of these papers are relevant to the present topic.The papers [iii] and [ix] are the only two that are entirely included in this thesis, and the author contributions for these works are summarized below. Please also see appendix C for copyright permissions.Author contributions for [iii]-SW and CS conceived the idea. SW and RG developed the methods. SW performed the analysis and wrote the manuscript with guidance from NL and RG.NL and CS provided critical feedback. All authors contributed to editing the manuscript.Author contributions for [ix]-SCW and CS conceived the idea. SCW developed the methods.SCW performed the analysis and wrote the manuscript with help from JWJ, YFW, and FKA. RG and CS provided critical feedback. All authors contributed to editing the manuscript.A portion of supplementary theory material from [xiii] and [xiv] are also described in this thesis under fair dealing, as I was the primary author of that material within those experimental papers. Moreover, I will include unpublished research related to my contributions to [vii] and [viii].

Solid‐State Single‐Photon Sources: Recent Advances for Novel Quantum Materials

“…As we will see in the rest of the review, the implementation of performant single-photon sources demands good optical cavities (high-quality factor, small mode volume) in the Purcell regime. [92] These cavities can be implemented via different approaches, such as Fabry-Pérot-like cavities (with two opposing concave mirrors enclosing a resonant spacer, as seminally done with natural atoms), photonic crystal cavities, or plasmonic-like devices (such as bullseye resonators or nanoantennas where plasmonic near-fields can be tightly confined at protrusions with deep sub-wavelength radii of curvature). Different cavity approaches, with their specific properties and different regimes of operation, can be consulted in other reviews.…”